


Always Apart but Never Alone

by bethejohn2mysherlock



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, But fixed with fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friends to Lovers, Lots of Angst, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates, Soulmates- Shared Pain, They're sassy, sort of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-21
Updated: 2016-11-21
Packaged: 2018-09-01 08:44:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8617363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bethejohn2mysherlock/pseuds/bethejohn2mysherlock
Summary: If your soulmate's name didn't appear within your first five years of life, or you weren't born with it, you were considered an anomaly. Your soulmate is your everything; your will to live. This is why you can feel them in times of extreme emotional or physical distress, to be aware of their suffering and help them through it. James Bond had spent most of his childhood believing that he would end up sad and alone. At the age of thirteen he received the name next to his heart... Ian. He would get revenge on his soulmate for making him wait so long, but he hadn't intended to do so.Ian Q. Price was twelve the first time he felt his soulmate in pain, and it wouldn't be the last. Throughout his childhood and even the start of his career at MI6 his soulmate, James, would give him a run for his money.





	

If your soulmate's name didn't appear within your first five years of life, or you weren't born with it, you were considered an anomaly.

James Bond had passed the age of ten when he and his family gave up on him ever having a soulmate. His parents were devastated and James always felt responsible. He just... wasn't meant to have one; he wasn't good enough for someone else. His Mum always told him that there just wasn't someone out there who was good enough for him, but James never believed it. Some days he would try to make himself feel better by writing a girl's name on his body, but it never helped. Everyone always knew that he was different, that his life was incomplete and always would be.

Your soulmate was supposed to be your everything, and without one, James had nothing. A soulmate was someone's reason to live; they made your life everything it was supposed to be. James often heard his parents worrying about him, and he would try to tell them that it would be okay, he would find something else to make life fun! His parents would always smile and say that it was a good way to think then send him off to bed. Then his parents died a couple of months after his eleventh birthday, and there was no one to keep him excited anymore. He was alone in the world and he really didn't know what to do.

James was thirteen years old when an unfamiliar burning started on his skin. He had been in the middle of another one of his nightmares, and that did nothing to help matters. The first thing he did was call for his parents; crying out for them and knowing that they wouldn't be there to comfort him. He buried his head into a pillow when the housekeeper, his caretaker, came into the room. She had brought him a glass of water and helped to calm him a bit before he lied to her that he was fine, it had just been a nightmare. The housekeeper nodded and kissed his head before heading out.

Once James knew she was gone he got up and rushed to the bathroom, holding his breath as he looked over his body for the marks. There, etched on his chest, right near his heart, was the name Ian. He breathed the name out as he admired the dark purple ink and the beautiful script. He finally had his other half and he could hardly believe it. "Ian," he said out loud, breathing a bit hard in disbelief. After looking at it for a bit longer and tracing the writing he finally went back to bed.

There was a very strong comfort knowing that his soulmate was somewhere out there, now he just had to wait to meet... him. In James's imagination it had always been a girl, since the first years of his life he had always been told that he would find a beautiful girl's name scratched into his skin someday. He even prayed that night that he would meet the boy soon, he was so tired of waiting, and that showed as he quickly drifted off to sleep with a smile on his face. He hadn't slept so soundly since he was a young boy. His mind calmed with the strong comfort of knowing he was no longer alone in the universe. He just needed to wait to meet his other half.

* * *

 

Ian Price was an orphan from the age of two, though to him it just felt like his entire life. He didn’t have any other immediate family that anyone knew of so he was sent to an orphanage. His parents were fairly well off and left him a decent amount of money aside from what was given to charity and what their house sold for. So at the age of 11 he bought himself a nice laptop and plenty of things to help him get through school faster. He just wanted to be done with it. At the age of 12 he was already about to graduate from secondary and head on to university.

He had never really taken his soulmate into account during his life. He hadn’t met him yet and he always forgot about him until he saw the name on his skin at random opportunities. It wasn’t until he was 12 that it really sank in that his soulmate was out there somewhere. During his free period at school he was messing around with his laptop, working on some code and trying to figure out some new things with a program he had just purchased before he dropped to the ground. He had never felt something like that before, a piercing pain throughout his entire body. He was taken to the nurse’s office, two people having to hold him up on the way there. He couldn’t understand what he was feeling, and the nurse couldn’t find anything either. Eventually he was taken to the hospital to have some tests done.

When they came back negative immediately the question was finally asked, “Mr. Price, do you have your soulmate?” He had nodded, confused at what that had to do with anything. The doctor then explained. “What you’re feeling is… probably your soulmate. In times of high stress or even death one can usually feel their soulmate and the trauma they’re going through. What you’re feeling right now could be extreme sorrow or even your soulmate on the edge of death. I hate to say it, but I would advise preparing for the worst, which is felt in an extreme pain. No one can describe it, but you’ll know exactly what it is when you feel it. Go home and wait it out; it could be nothing. There’s really no way to tell. I just really hope that your soulmate is okay.” The doctor left after that, leaving him to find a way home and to deal with this all on his own.

Q was still in extreme pain, even well into the night. He was in tears as he thought about his soulmate and what he must be going through. “James… please be alright,” he choked out through tears.

On a Royal Navy ship on the United Kingdom’s coast, James Bond, age 25, was nursing several injuries from a bar fight. This time he had actually gotten knocked out and his mates had to bring him back to the ship. Thank god for Alec, or he would have been completely screwed. Thankfully it was only another month or so before he would be back on land for good, and Alec with him. MI6 had just done some recruiting and it would only take a couple of months for the paperwork to go through. He did wish, however, that he and his mates hadn’t gone out to celebrate. They had attempted to hook him up with a guy, which is how he got the majority of his injuries. The man had called him a faggot and he and his friends had beaten the pulp out of him. He just wanted to be done, to find his Ian and to stop hurting all over. He took another swig of his scotch before closing his eyes, deciding to get some sleep.

* * *

 

The next time Ian had felt his soulmate, he was in the middle of a game. Alright, anyone else would say crime but hell, he found it fun. He was 19 now and was just about done hacking through the security system of MI6 when suddenly he couldn't breathe anymore. Actually, it was the complete opposite of last time, he couldn't feel anything! After a few moments his whole body felt like it had been dropped twenty feet.

He could feel his soulmate’s desire to die, and he willed with all of his soul that he live instead. He wouldn’t let all of this be for nothing, all of this goddamn pain he had been experiencing before he would get to meet James. The pain didn’t go away, but eventually he got used to it and got up and back to his computer.

“Oh shit,” the hack! He had forgotten about the hack! He looked over everything - they had found him already. Hell, nearly five minutes ago. Just as he was shaking his head, realizing that he was completely dead, there was a knock at the door before a very forcible entry into his crappy flat.

He tried to laugh his way out of it to start, but the guys didn’t go for it. He was taken by them and shoved into a car, on his way to what he could assume was either the Yard or MI6. It turned out to be MI6, straight to the headquarters and he was led to none other than the head of department herself. ‘M’ they called her, ‘What a funny way to refer to a person, by a letter,’ he thought.

“So you think,” the rather short woman began, “that it’s a good idea to hack into government security systems?”

Ian shrugged, “I was really just trying to upgrade it, it’s in dire need... and I might find it a bit entertaining.”

M glared at him for a bit. “I see,” she said, looking over a file on her desk. He could only guess that MI6 had made one for him after hacking their systems. “Well, it seems like you have a couple of options in regards to your carelessness. We could put you in jail, you’d probably get around 20 years, maybe less if you’re good but probably not since it was an offence against the government,” she stated, looking to him for a reaction.

Ian tried to give her nothing, but all he could do was worry. If he got thrown into jail he would never meet James, and he didn’t know if he would be able to handle it properly.

“Or,” she said, face as still as a stone as she gave him his second option. “You can come work for us. It would be a starter position, working in Q branch with the security system and the team that is involved in that. You’d also probably get trained in weapons tech and other such things, wherever they could use a mind like yours.”

Ian thought about pretending to think, but he only had a couple of questions on his mind, “Um… would I be getting paid or would this kind of be like paying off a debt?”

M chuckled, “You would be getting paid, my boy. A handsome salary for a starter position,” she promised, “We haven’t had anyone with this good of a resume come in in a long while,” she admitted. She wrote the number down on a piece of paper and slid it over.

Ian almost swore out loud. His hand went straight to his hair and pulled a little in disbelief. He would be able to get a new flat, have normal furniture, new equipment and maybe even a pet if he needed companionship. “Ah… that second option would be lovely,” he said, trying not to sound too eager about it all.

“Good,” M grinned, “We weren’t really going to give you a proper choice but I’m glad to see you came to the proper conclusion on your own. Miss Moneypenny here will take you down to Q branch right away. She’ll introduce you to head of the branch, Boothroyd, or Q as you will address him. I’m sure he’ll get a kick out of meeting the boy who hacked into his systems. There is some paperwork you’ll have to fill out, and one question I must ask you. Do you have your soulmate?”

Ian sighed, “I have one… but I have not met him yet,” he said with a small frown and a shake of his head.

“Well, the life of an MI6 employee can be a difficult one, so I advice you be very watchful when you meet them,” she instructed.

He thought about that for a moment, trying to figure out what she meant before nodding, “I think he’ll be a bit tougher than one might imagine, but I will definitely take that into consideration,” he said.

M smiled and gestured for the woman -tall, dark, and in rather intimidating heels - to take him away. Ian was led to the elevator and brought down to the place he now considered heaven and home.

James Bond was nowhere, in MI6’s eyes. He was four years into the double-0 program now, and in deep shit with his handlers. He knew he should have listened, especially when it all went sideways, so he dropped off the grid. Well, he literally fell so that no one would come after him when they all thought he was dead. He was just barely alive, and in quite a bit of pain. When he thought about if he really wanted, or if he even could, get up and find some help he just wanted to stay. He wanted to die, but something stopped him. He felt… guilty all of a sudden. Oh no, James Bond did not feel guilt. But that’s exactly what it was, so he made himself get up, to make the guiltiness go away. He found a small town to treat him and he was back in London in just a little over a month’s time. That was when it all started, the beginning of his reputation as agent 007.

* * *

 

Of course Ian had heard of the infamous 007. Everybody talked about him all the time, as long as he was out of the country. They would talk about the cold shoulder they got from Bond or the way he was with women. Of course, Ian had never seen the agent in person, or even spoke to him, but he had been in the room for plenty of missions, watching the agent ignore his handlers and get shot at.

He supposed a double-0 didn’t really think much about anyone but himself, though it was rumored that James Bond really did have a soulmate, that he hadn’t found yet. Everyone talked about that just as much as people talked about the agent himself; they wondered if the agent would even look for her. Ian usually left the room when those conversations started.

Soulmates were a very sore subject for him; he was always very worried about his own. The amount of times he had felt agonizing and deadly pain from the man was absolutely phenomenal. He didn’t know what his soulmate was doing, but whatever it was, he needed to stop.

During one of James’s missions gone bad, Ian had accidentally been in the room. He shouldn’t have been there, but he needed Boothroyd to go over some of his tech designs.

Boothroyd had taken him in, almost like a son. Ian had actually been promoted to Boothroyd’s second hand man, R, in less than two years. “Ah… Q,” he said, never having gotten used to the title, as the man had preferred Ian call him by his own name, “if I could have you…”

“Not now, Ian. Please, we’re in the middle of 007 and Eve’s mission,” he said distractedly. “Either at the end of the day or maybe not til tomorrow.”

The boy nodded, “Right, sorry,” he said softly, watching the screen and listening in a bit on what was going on with the mission. M was even here, it must have been going badly. He stood in the background and flinched as M told Eve to take the shot, even though there was a very large chance that she would hit 007 instead.

She took it, and Ian felt a searing pain in his shoulder like he had never felt before. He let out a noise of shock as he collapsed, his papers going everywhere. Everybody was too focused on James Bond being shot in the shoulder to witness Ian’s struggle, but a few interns came over to make sure he was alright. Ian just shook his head, he could handle this, it was just another pain from his soulmate, nothing new, though it was more painful than it had ever been. It felt like he had been… shot. That was it!

Ian got up off of the ground as quickly as he could and moved to his own tiny office in the back of Q-branch. He was panting from running, the pain, and what he had just figured out. James Bond… The James Bond was his soulmate! How could this happen to him? The whole idea was terrifying. He knew what 007 had been through, and what kind of man he was to get the information he needed. He was a complete player! A Casanova even! Ian couldn’t live with someone like that, let alone settle down with him like you were supposed to with a soulmate. He needed someone to actually care for him, not someone that wanted to jump every pretty little thing that he saw or needed information out of. He just couldn’t! James Bond would never find out that he was the man’s soulmate.

James Bond thought, after falling off a train, he was definitely going to die this time. He nearly did, in fact. He always hoped Ian was alright. He was giving the boy far too much trouble with all of his work antics. He really should listen to his handlers more often, but where was the fun in that? Though this time it was /not/ his fault that he had been injured, it was Eve’s. He couldn’t even get himself out of the water. Thank god someone found him quickly. He sighed as he was being taken care of, maybe this was the time for him to stop, to look for Ian and settle down. The agent shook his head and nearly laughed. Maybe someday, but he couldn’t quite give up this dangerous stuff just yet.

* * *

 

The first time Ian met James Bond, he was no longer just Ian, but Q. Ian had gotten used to the letter fairly quickly as it was his middle initial anyway. He had been promoted to the Quartermaster when the Silva explosion had occurred. He hadn’t anticipated being promoted so early, but M had said that there was no one better for the job. He had already been at MI6 eleven years, but for Ian- no, Q - it seemed like mere minutes. He spent all of his time tinkering and making some important upgrades to all of the systems; it was total paradise. Ian had been chosen as Boothroyd’s successor years ago, but it was planned that he take over when the older man retired, which wasn’t supposed to be for another five years.

Then it all happened. The explosion. Ian had been in the building at the time, but in one of the bunkers for testing explosives and new guns for the double-0s. He had been safe for the most part, though some of the ceiling had come down on top of him and had given him a hell of a headache as well as blocking the door to keep him from getting out. He had been terrified, the exit was blocked and hardly anybody paid attention to his whereabouts let alone cared where he had gone. It didn’t matter that he was Boothroyd’s successor, he would be one of the last people searched for. Thankfully he had only been down there maybe a couple of hours before somebody found him and helped him out. He was grateful that there hadn’t been more damage to his body, otherwise he really didn’t know how he would have handled taking over immediately, barely given time to mourn the loss of his father figure before being put in his place.

Now Q was walking around one of his favorite museums, waiting for a testy double-0 agent to finally make his entrance; the same testy agent that happened to be his soulmate. When he saw the other man sit down, he had to chuckle to himself, as the painting he was sitting in front of was rather symbolic in a way. He went about his business, trying to be as dramatic as possible, which still didn’t come close to all of the drama that Bond carried with him, but he wanted to make a decent impression with the man.

The conversation that occurred was actually rather amusing in Q’s mind, and he played it over and over again on his way back to the branch. It had all gone much better than expected, though he had let himself slip a bit and lost himself in those beautiful blue irises of James’s. Thankfully the agent hadn’t noticed and they went on with a rhythm that Q had never felt with another person in his life.

He supposed that’s what it meant to have a soulmate, to become perfectly in sync with one another. He was falling for the man completely and fully, and he wanted to tell him their secret so badly, but he couldn’t bring himself to do so. James Bond had a certain lifestyle, and a very important mission to deal with on top of that; he couldn’t afford to be dragged down by a soulmate. Q took a deep breath as he thought about the way that the agent had left the room. This was going to be a long career.

James Bond had decided that there was something odd about this new Q. He wasn’t sure what it was exactly but he… felt things during their interaction. Maybe it was the way their conversation had been so natural, nothing truly forced after the first words were spoken to one another. Or perhaps it was… the… something like joy that he felt? God no, that could not be it. He was bloody James Bond and it took him years to trust people, especially kids like this. Though the boy was… attractive, it was probably just the age difference. The boy still had spots for god’s sake; there was no way he could handle the burden of being practically second in command at MI6. But, there was a new wave going around about innovation and making things faster, more practical, and he supposed that that was really what the boy was there to do. Bond didn’t know if he really liked it, but he sure as hell respected the little boffin. The boy had a bit of bite in him, which he found extremely appealing. Perhaps he would have to make a few opportunities for them to talk some more.

* * *

 

Q had been working as ‘Q’ for about a year now. James Bond began to frequent Q branch far more than any double-0 truly needed to, and both men were quite taken by one another. After Skyfall, James grew quite distant from everyone. He didn’t want to let it happen, but the woman had been like a mother to him for the past nearly twenty years. After a few months of being practically non-existent in the eyes of MI6, Eve had tried to make him feel better several times but even just being around him made other people a bit sad and want to leave. Everyone treated him like he was made of fine crystal, and just the slightest thing wrong would topple him over and he would just break down, whether it be in violence or a fit of tears.

Q, however treated him like nothing was different. He expected the very same out of the agent and would never accept an excuse from him. James truly appreciated the efforts of the boffin. He had come to respect him even more as the boy treated him with the respect and dignity he had earned as a double-0 that others had completely thrown out the window with the loss of their M. The only other person to do that was Mallory.

So he had been wrong at their first meeting - Q really was meant to be Q; even at his young age he had figured nearly everything out. They had begun to socialize a bit more. James would spend quite a bit of time down in Q branch just talking to the boy, if the both of them had the time and the energy to do so. James found out that the two of them had a bit more in common than he would have ever thought. With both of their parents gone and no other family to speak of, James began to cling to Q as a sort of new family, someone who understood him and what he was going through more than anyone else to date.

He was also finding that the boy was rather… attractive in many ways and he began to fall into the habit of casual flirting with him. James realized that he really shouldn’t, especially since he had thought about searching for his soulmate soon, but he just really couldn’t resist the boy, not that he really put much effort into it anyway.

Q was also beginning to develop more and more feelings for the agent. He was everything that he hadn’t known he was looking for. The man was bloody gorgeous with those broad shoulders and the muscles and everything that helped him be the exceptional double-0 that he was. Those icy blue eyes are what really got him though. Every damn time he found himself just staring into them, not even paying attention to a word the man was saying. He couldn’t find a damn thing wrong with him that he couldn’t deal with in some way.

Their conversation was easy and they had eventually moved into Bond’s casual, harmless flirting. The flirting had really thrown him off guard at first, and he had blushed as red as a damn tomato or something. After nearly a month of that, however, he had gotten used to it and even began reciprocating a bit, though he was never as flirtatious as Bond. He did enjoy their visits, as sometimes the man would bring him food, especially if James had talked to Eve and found out that he hadn’t eaten properly in quite some time. He would also bother Q about his horribly off sleep schedule and the fact that he probably shouldn’t bring his cats to work, as then he would actually go home every night and get some sleep.

But nothing ever changed, because the two liked it the way that it was, even if Q hurt a bit every time, knowing the information that he did and leaving James out in the cold to think and worry about his soulmate. But Q knew that it wasn’t the right time, if it ever would be. When it was time he would tell him, if there would ever be a time. Each time he watched the agent on a mission or heard him talk about somebody he had met the other night he was reminded of the agent’s lifestyle, and decided that he really didn’t have a proper place in it, and he wouldn’t let James try to squeeze him in.

Today Q had his cats with him at work as he attempted to upgrade their security system on their servers a bit more and also work on some weapon designs. He had every intention of going home that night, but it would be a lonely day and he would need the company of his cats to keep him from delving too far into a project.

Turing and Berlioz had taken quite a liking to Bond, and thankfully the agent didn’t seem to mind, as he almost always left with cat hair all over his suit. The two would always get excited when he came, because he tended to spoil them with scratches and treats, which Q usually didn’t have time for during the day. The cats began to mew, running over to the door as James Bond stepped in.

“Good afternoon, 007,” Q smiled, not looking up from his work.

“To you as well, Q,” James smiled, two boxes of food in his hands. “I brought lunch. Eve told me you hadn’t eaten a proper meal since yesterday, is that correct?”

Q groaned, “I have things to do, Bond. It’s not that I don’t want or need to eat, but it’s something that’s easily forgotten. I have plenty of biscuits and tea throughout the day, sometimes it just slips my mind,” he said with a wave of his hand. He looked over at Bond and smiled, smelling the food, “I suppose I could take a short break, though. What have you brought for me today?” he asked curiously.

James grinned at that, “Pasta, from that Italian place you like so much… and maybe a bit of desert as well,” he said with a smirk. “I figured I’d feed that sweet tooth of yours while I’m at it.”

Q hummed happily, “Fantastic! Now gimme,” he requested, holding out his hands for the box.

“Only because you asked so nicely,” the agent said with a roll of his eyes, handing the Quartermaster his food and taking a seat on the office couch. “What do you think, Quartermaster, is there a new mission in my future?” he asked once he was comfortable, feet up on the little coffee table as he ate and Berlioz made a new home next to him.

“Oh please, Bond. You’ve barely been back from your last one,” Q said with a shake of his head. “You are required to have 20 days off between missions, even if you don’t follow it,” he reminded the agent.

“I don’t need 20 bloody days, I need action,” Bond sighed, almost whining.

“Well obviously MI6 doesn’t really need you either. Just take the time off, get some rest and catch up on some things. Maybe you could actually move into your flat instead of continuing to live out of those damn cardboard boxes,” he smirked. “Not that I know a lot about it, but Eve is constantly complaining about it all.”

James rolled his eyes at that, “That’s so… trivial. But I suppose…. I’ll have to think of something,” he sighed, letting his head fall back on the couch.

“Pretty soon you’ll have to pick up a hobby… your retirement as a double-0 should be coming up here pretty soon, am I right?” Q asked.

Bond nearly groaned in frustration, “I don’t know what they think they’re going to do with me if I’m no longer a double-0. I don’t think I could handle a desk job. And I have absolutely no hobbies.”

Q shrugged, “Then become an instructor or a trainer or something for the double-0 program. I’m sure they could find you something where you wouldn’t get completely bored all day long. Really, Bond, you just need to have an open mind.”

“That’s not what I want, though. I want to live my life! I need the danger!” he sighed. “But I’m sure they’ll force retirement on me soon enough. Maybe when that finally happens I’ll go looking for my soulmate… I’m sure they’re wondering when the hell they’ll get the opportunity to meet me,” he said.

“You… haven’t met your soulmate yet?” Q asked, feigning curiosity and trying to be nonchalant. “How odd… a man your age having nothing to speak of in that area,” he said softly, a tad upset that he had said it like that.

“You know that Q, we talk about it often enough,” he sighed. “There’s quite a bit of age difference between us… so I’m sure that they’re still in their prime, but I don’t want them to wait anymore,” he said honestly. He was beginning to freak out about it a little. He just didn’t want to… disappoint his soulmate, and he didn’t want to ruin what life the boy must have now, being in his late twenties/ early thirties. He just… didn’t want to wait too long, but he couldn’t tell Q that, it was too much.

Q just nodded. He hoped that soon he would get a chance to tell James. He hated to be so close, yet not have him properly yet. He loved having a friend in James like this, but he knew that there was supposed to be more, and not just because of their names. He could feel it in his whole body when he was with the man.

The rest of their lunch was eaten in a semi awkward silence before Bond left to go to the shooting range and leave Q to his work, attempting to get the boffin to promise that he would go home when everyone else did and not stay all night long. Q just chuckled at all of Bond’s pestering and got back to his work

* * *

 

Of course Q wasn’t out of the building until around midnight. He was walking through the parking garage; he just felt safer going through the building to get to his tube station. It was bad enough that he left work so late, he didn’t need to walk out in the open with his hands full of sleeping cats. He was just about to walk on the street when he got a feeling, which he interpreted as the feeling of leaving something behind. He set down the cat carriers and ruffled through his messenger bag, making sure he had everything. Then there was a crack, and a blur in his vision as he fell to the ground. Everything went black.

Q woke with the worst pain in his head that he had ever felt; not remembering what had happened just yet. When he tried to move he couldn’t, something feeling completely off before everything hit him like a brick. He remembered leaving work and getting hit in the head. He groaned as there was a throbbing pain in his head from thinking a bit too much. He attempted to figure out where he was, but couldn’t find anything distinguishable in the room he was being kept in. He sighed as he waited for someone to come in, now that he was awake. He was scared, extremely scared, but he couldn’t let his captors see it, or he would just be tossed around like a dog’s chew toy as they attempted to get information out of him.

Turns out that his attempted front of strength did absolutely nothing for him. He had been taken because of his intelligence and his position at MI6, and when he wouldn’t give in at all, they began taking out their anger in scary ways. Q thought he knew what pain was from what he felt from James, but he was so very wrong. The punches to his face, kicks to his stomach once his chair toppled over, were incredibly painful. Then they would pick him back up, and then they brought out a knife set, leaving small cuts all over his body; they stripped him to get at more of his body and leave more damage. Q really had never known he could ever hurt this bad. He may be a well trained weapons expert and have practically the same level of marksmanship as Bond, but he was the head of the introverts of MI6; he wasn’t cut out for this bloody shit. He just hoped that James would feel something, anything and come save him.

When James went to bed that night it was with a slight headache, but he just took some medicine and brushed it off. He woke up the next morning a little achy and rather confused of why, but sometimes it happened after a mission and he just brushed it off, beginning to unpack his boxes as per Q’s suggestion. As much as he didn’t want to, the boy was right and he needed to settle just a bit.

He knew he shouldn’t be doing that to the little boffin, as he needed to go out and look for Ian, but he was just so… intriguing and he felt this amazing connection with him. James shook his head as he began to unpack his clothes; he couldn’t do this to either of them. “I’m sorry, Q… but I need to find Ian,” he said to himself softly.

His phone rang just then; Q hadn’t come in that morning, and his cats were sitting in the parking garage as well. James nearly dropped his phone as he began to get dressed to rush off to work. He didn’t know if they would actually need him, but he would do anything he had to for Q, to get him back safe.

At MI6 they didn’t have anything yet; they just knew that Q was gone, but not where or why. He was just sitting around waiting for anything they could give him so that he could go look for his Quartermaster. He felt it then- an ache that radiated through his whole body, like he had just gotten back from a rough mission. It felt like his body was trying to hold in his insides. James looked up as a live feed came onto the main screen of Q branch.

There was Q, lying on the ground and a ransom note in view of the camera. “Fuck… Q,” James said under his breath. “No no…” he was freaking out in his head, but he was a damn double-0 for god’s sakes. He watched as Quinn got kicked in the abdomen and then felt it as well. Sympathy pains maybe? That couldn’t be it as he felt the exact moment Q was punched, and in the exact spot. He didn’t know what to do for a moment; he could only watch as the boffin was beaten down. It took him a moment before gathering himself and heading to find Mallory.

“What is it, 007? I’m pretty sure it can wait,” Mallory said, a bit peeved as he tried to help R locate their beloved Quartermaster.

“It pertains to the situation, quite a bit,” he said, his demeanor calm though he was completely flustered at this new information.

M turned toward him, “What could it possibly be then, Bond?”

James was silent as he undid the first few buttons of his shirt, pulling away the fabric to reveal the name Ian etched next to his heart, “Is this Q’s given name?” he asked, voice an attempted calm. “I can… I can feel everything that’s happening to him. Is…. is the name on him James?” he asked, starting to sound a tad frantic. “You have to let me go once you have something. I have to save him… he’s dying,” he told Mallory in a serious and desperate voice.

Seeing James’s and Mallory’s interaction Eve went over to the poke her nose into their business. “What’s this all about, James? We’re working as hard as we can to get him back,” she insisted.

James shook his head, “You don’t understand… I need to get there, I need to keep him safe,” he murmured, showing Eve the name before going over to R to see if she had any information yet. There were only a few more minutes of pacing before they found enough distinguishing marks to send James out to save the Quartermaster.

* * *

 

Q wanted to just die. Even during James’s near death experience he had never felt this much like shit. He needed James here now; he needed his soulmate to save him. Any agent could save him, but he needed James’s presence; he knew that he would be at ease with the man. Right now he was just trying to keep his vital organs safe and inside of him.

He hoped that R had been able to find something in the live feed, because he had absolutely no idea where he was to help them in any way. He was beginning to think a bit too hard, as his head still hurt, but he was dying and he couldn’t stop the thoughts that flooded his head. Like regretting not telling James right away. Or the regret he felt for not just going after the man himself. He was dying, James really had no idea, and it was all his fault.

He was beginning to cry even harder when there was a commotion. He tried to look around and find what was going on, but every bit that he moved he was in pain. He finally looked down at himself and realized that he was bleeding out. “Oh shit,” he murmured. He was in the middle of accepting his fate when there was James Bond standing in front of him, untying him and sitting him up carefully.

“Can you walk?” he asked softly. He watched the boffin address his injuries and shake his head. He picked him up, the boy was as light as a feather, and carried him outside. He got the Quartermaster into his car and booked it back to MI6. “Why… why didn’t you tell me, Q?” he asked once there had been enough awkward silence.

It took a lot of effort for Q to look up at him, “What? Tell you about what?” he coughed out.

“Your… name is Ian,” he murmured, looking over at the boy. “And we’re… we’re soulmates,” he said, taking a deep breath and holding it to hear Q’s reaction.

Q sighed, and coughed up a bit of blood, “I… wanted to, but I didn’t… didn’t know how,” he rasped out. “But… can this wait…? I’m sort of trying to hold in my vital organs,” he said, slipping into a sort of sleep as he waited for them to get back to MI6.

James nodded, unsure of conversation at that point, but apt to answering Q’s demands.

* * *

 

It was nearly a week before they had another opportunity to talk. Q had to go through several surgeries to fix ruptures in his abdomen and he was on very powerful pain meds for that whole week before his doctors decided they ought to start weening him off. James was in the room the whole time. He only ever left when he went to go shower and change his clothes, though even then he had Eve sit in for him. He wanted to be the first person Q- no, Ian- saw when he finally woke from his medicine-induced trance.

Q woke with a wince of pain as he opened his eyes, trying to decipher where exactly he was. He spotted James sleeping against his bed, and a soft smile coming to his face as he watched his… soulmate. He decided to just wait for the other man to wake up on his own and stayed quiet as he watched the other man sleep.

James nearly jumped awake, not having meant to fall asleep, he ran a hand through his hair before he flinched, hearing a voice.

“Calm down,” Q rasped out. “You’re fine, I only just woke up.”

“You’re awake! How do you feel?” he asked softly, unsure of how to go about all of this.

Q smirked, “Horrible, but you’re quite the sight to wake up to.” He took a deep breath, “Listen. I’m sorry about not telling you. I’ve known… for a long time but it just never felt right.”

James shook his head quickly, “No, don’t be. It all makes sense- why you never said anything,” he murmured. He moved his chair close to sit so that he wasn’t hovering over the boffin. “I was just, so taken aback when I figured it out. I had… no idea that we were… though there was always the smallest amount of hope that your name would turn out to be Ian,” he chuckled.

Q smiled at that, “Well that would be me.” He held out his hand weekly, “Ian Quincy Price, but in the office you won’t call me anything but Q,” he said, playfully stern as he grinned at the agent.

James shook the boffin’s hand gently, “Wouldn’t dream of it,” he smiled. His other hand moved to brush the hair out of Ian’s face, “I hope this is alright, Ian?” he asked, hoping that he wasn’t crossing any boundaries.

Q shook his head, his eyes watering a bit, “I don’t think you know how long I’ve been waiting for something like this,” he murmured.

James smiled, “I’m glad that I’ve finally found you,” he said gently before moving to brush his lips against Ian’s.

Q’s smile would only have been wider if he was at his full 100%, “So am I.”

* * *

 

It had been three months since Q’s kidnapping. James was glad he hadn’t had the opportunity to fully unpack his things because Ian’s flat was much bigger and roomier than his own. He felt at home there as well, more than anywhere else in his life. He hadn’t officially retired yet, but he went on fewer missions and actually took his breaks, as he finally had someone to come home to. On missions he tended to use less of his honeypot routine, unless he couldn’t get out of it. He still went to work to visit Q when he was on break, and he would actually do his paperwork as long as he was sitting with his soulmate in his office.

He still couldn’t believe it. He had never felt so comfortable with anyone in his life, and he had never been happier. He still brought Q food, though more often than he used to. He also sat in on a few agent training sessions to give his input. For once in his life he didn’t feel useless from having a more relaxed schedule. He felt… comfortable, and it was all thanks to Ian. Ian came home every night and he got to make the boffin dinner almost every time. They were completely domestic, he had never been happier.

Q had never felt more at ease in his life. James fit perfectly into his life, and he into the agent’s. They already had a decent schedule with James coming into work to feed him, and Q was very welcome to James’s missions, and though he didn’t say it, grateful when he began to go on less. He was open to James’s methods on missions as well. He didn’t necessarily like all of the people he seduced, but he knew it was just for the agent’s job, and that the two of them were truly meant to be together. There was no combination of people who went better together.

The agent also took great care of Q when he was home. James apparently had amazing cooking skills, and he used them to feed Q when the boy got far too busy. Q tended not to admit it, but he would eat almost anything that was put in front of him as long as he didn’t have to look away from his work, and James played into that fact well.

James even nurtured his love of cats, bringing him home a kitten for the one month anniversary of them moving in together. They named her Minerva and she was James’s princess. Q loved to watch his soulmate with their cats, they were all like one big happy family. For once he felt that his life was completely in sync.

They were sitting together in Q’s office, sitting on his couch, for lunch after Q had finally been cleared for full time work again. It was like nothing had changed, which was perfect for both of them.

“So… I’ve been thinking… maybe I should start.. working away from missions,” James said out of nowhere.

Q thought he had heard him wrong, “Are you sure, James?” he asked, worried that James felt obligated now that he was with Q. “Don’t do so on my account; as much as I love being home with you, you don’t need to change your way of life.”

The agent shrugged, “Like you’ve said before… I’m getting close to retirement. Hell, I should have probably retired five years ago,” he chuckled. “But I think it’s time I slowed down, and besides, I’ve finally found something to do in my spare time,” he smirked.

“Oh? And what would that be?” Q asked with a knowing grin.

“You,” James said with a cheeky smile before leaning over to kiss Q soundly. The younger man giggled and James kissed him again. He never wanted to stop hearing those wonderful sounds from his beautiful soulmate. “I love you,” he murmured as they pulled apart for a moment.

Q tucked his head into the crook of James’s neck and grabbed his hand to twine their fingers together. “And I you.”

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was for my friend Kate's birthday back in May. I actually completely rewrote the whole thing and it is finally ready to be posted!!
> 
> Thanks to the help of Syd, Katie, and Kate this fic is finally ready for the public eye and I think it might be one of my best ones yet!! Kudos and Comments are much appreciated! <3


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